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{
    "id": 566601,
    "url": "http://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/566601/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 325,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Kipyegon",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1453,
        "legal_name": "Johana Ngeno Kipyegon",
        "slug": "johana-ngeno-kipyegon"
    },
    "content": "Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker, I thank you for recognizing the fact that I am from a small political party. I am, indeed, one of the Members belonging to small parties, which have few Members of Parliament. In my party, we are only two. We have so many MCAs but we do not have a governor or a senator. This amendment will go a long in helping our parties. The big parties are trying to intimidate the small parties. If we allow the big parties to be the only ones to be funded, we will kill democracy in this country. Why are people equating democracy with two or three parties? The reason as to why we have many parties in Kenya, unlike in South Africa or UK, is that political parties in Kenya have not nurtured democracy. The level of democracy in Kenyan political parties is so low that nomination is like appointing somebody to run in a particular party. If there were no small parties in Kenya, many of us would not be here today. We were rigged out by the big political parties at the party nomination stage. I was once a Member of ODM, KADDU and UDM. I had feared joining the Jubilee Coalition, particularly URP. Why? It is because there was no democracy in those parties. So, if we were to require people to run on parties in order for democracy to flourish in this country, we must bring democracy within the major parties. When you talk about having two or three parties, you must ensure that there is democracy within those parties. Therefore, I support the amendment with an intention to bring an amendment during the Committee Stage, so that not just political parties with five Members of Parliament qualify for funding, but all parties with, at least, one elected Member in the National Assembly or the Senate. Thank you, Hon. Temporary Deputy Speaker."
}